{"id":945895,"date":"2026-10-30T03:20:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T03:20:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/945895\/"},"modified":"2026-10-30T03:20:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T03:20:12","slug":"the-parts-of-fruits-and-vegetables-most-throw-away-could-save-your-health-and-the-planet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/945895\/","title":{"rendered":"The parts of fruits and vegetables most throw away could save your health \u2013 and the planet"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBreaking research\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t30th October 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNew research finds ‘root-to-tip’ eating could help address a dietary fibre crisis whilst reducing food waste, as manufacturers are urged to make a difference<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Peer-reviewed Experimental study People<\/p>\n

This additional information is included as part of a press release labeling system introduced by the Academy of Medical Sciences and Science Media Centre. For more details click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOpen Access Logo\"Open<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"
Image by Tatyana Komchatnych for Alamy \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Most of us routinely discard the peels, skins, stalks, and seeds of fruits and vegetables at mealtime. But new research from King\u2019s College London suggests these scraps could be a valuable \u2013 and overlooked \u2013 source of dietary fibre, offering potential benefits for both public health and the environment.<\/p>\n

The study, published today in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition<\/a>, analysed 12 common types of fresh produce in the UK.<\/p>\n

It found that \u2018root-to-tip\u2019 components \u2013 the parts typically thrown away, such as peels, skins, and stalks \u2013 contained significantly higher levels of dietary fibre than the portions we normally eat in 10 out of 12 cases.<\/p>\n

Health and waste, a double crisis<\/p>\n

Globally, dietary fibre intake falls short of recommendations in most developed nations, whilst food waste has reached crisis proportions. The United Nations has set ambitious Sustainable Development Goals to address both issues<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the UK alone, only 4% of British adults meet the recommended minimum daily intake of 30g of dietary fibre, consuming an average of just 16.4g per day. At the same time, approximately 10 million tonnes of food is wasted annually, with fresh fruits and vegetables representing 36% of this.<\/p>\n

Dietary fibre is particularly important. It plays a crucial role in digestive health, helps reduce the risk of type two diabetes and heart disease, and promotes feelings of fullness. It can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and premature mortality.<\/p>\n

Up to five times more fibre in the waste<\/p>\n

The study, which was carried out by an extensive team of experts from across King\u2019s College London\u2019s Department of Nutritional Sciences and King\u2019s Food, examined produce commonly used in foodservice settings. This included butternut squash, bell peppers, broccoli, kiwi fruit, pineapple, and watermelon. In the laboratory analysis, the team measured the total dietary fibre content of both the \u2018root-to-tip\u2019 components (peels, skins, seeds, stalks) and the parts typically consumed.<\/p>\n

The key findings showed that in 10 of the 12 produce types analysed, \u2018root-to-tip\u2019 components contained more fibre than commonly consumed parts.<\/p>\n

For example:<\/p>\n

The watermelon rind contained 2.10g of fibre per 100g \u2013 roughly equivalent to the fibre in a slice of wholemeal bread.
\nButternut squash skin and seeds contained 9.25g per 100g \u2013 nearly as much fibre as a bowl of bran flakes. To put this in perspective, just 100g of butternut squash skin and seeds (about the size of a small apple) could provide nearly one-third of your daily recommended fibre intake.
\nPineapple skin and core contained 453.7% (five times) more fibre than the flesh. Eating just the skin and core from a pineapple could provide as much fibre as eating five portions of the flesh alone.
\nHowever, broccoli stalks contained 28.4% less fibre than the florets we typically eat\u2014so in this case, most people are already eating the more fibre-rich part.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe variation in fibre content between the parts of the food we consume and that most throw away was striking,\u201d says project lead, Dr Rachel Gibson, a Reader in Nutrition & Dietetics, from the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King\u2019s College London.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe \u2018root-to-tip\u2019 components in our study represented between 25% and 48% of the total weight of the produce. That means people are discarding a significant portion of the produce we buy. And these are parts of the plant that could help address our dietary fibre deficit.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t just a nutritional loss, it\u2019s also a financial one; you\u2019re effectively throwing away a substantial portion of what you\u2019ve paid for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Balazs Bajka, Senior Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences, who lead the laboratory fibre testing in the study adds: \u201cImportantly, this is not about encouraging people to eat \u2018100g of butternut squash skin and seeds\u2019 to increase fibre intake.<\/p>\n

\u201cRather, by making better use of the often-overlooked parts of fruits and vegetables as part of everyday meals, we have an opportunity to increase dietary fibre intake in a simple and sustainable way. Emerging research also suggests that consuming a wider variety of fibre sources may help maximise the health benefits associated with dietary fibre.\u201d<\/p>\n

The proof is in the (fibrous) pudding<\/p>\n

To understand how people might begin to start incorporating these foods into their diet and gain a better understanding of people\u2019s attitudes towards them, the researchers introduced a \u2018root-to-tip\u2019 menu at King\u2019s College London<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Before it was launched, they tested the concept on a focus group of 40 university staff and students.<\/p>\n

Feedback from participants revealed important barriers to root-to-tip eating:<\/p>\n

A \u201cmental discomfort\u201d about eating these items.
\nConcerns about digestibility.
\nA lack of nutritional information online, particularly on social media, where trends rapidly change and credibility is unclear.<\/p>\n

\u201cInterestingly, participants viewed nutritional benefits \u2013 particularly fibre content \u2013 as a stronger motivator than environmental sustainability when considering whether to adopt \u2018root-to-tip\u2019 eating,\u201d lead author Georgia Browne (Research Assistant, King\u2019s College London) adds.<\/p>\n

Caterers and manufacturers could make an impact<\/p>\n

Whilst the researchers emphasise that \u2018root-to-tip\u2019 eating doesn\u2019t require dramatic dietary changes, just simple modifications to food preparation, they state that changes are required at the food manufacturing stage or at the places we go to eat out for tangible results on health at a population level.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt home we can do things such as leaving skins on kiwi fruit, using broccoli stalks in stir-fries, or incorporating bell pepper seeds into dishes. However, for real change to reduce food waste and improve fibre intake at scale, it would be great to see caterers and food manufacturers exploring what fruit and vegetable waste is generated and looking at ways to use it to enhance the healthiness of meals,\u201d adds Dr Gibson, who specialises in both workplace, diet and health; as well as dietary patterns and health.<\/p>\n

The future of sustainable eating<\/p>\n

Whilst the research provides valuable insights, several limitations should be noted. For example, studying only 12 types of produce \u2013 each measured for fibre content when raw (so cooking methods could alter fibre content and digestibility).<\/p>\n

The researchers hope that future studies will look to better understand how \u2018root-to-tip\u2019 eating can be practically and safely implemented across diverse populations and settings.<\/p>\n

Concluding, Dr Gibson says: \u201cThis isn\u2019t about perfection and this isn\u2019t about forcing people to eat unpalatable food \u2013 it\u2019s about recognising the nutritional value in components we\u2019ve been conditioned to discard, which is exactly why we trialled the root-to-tip menu at King\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven small steps towards using more of the plant can have cumulative benefits for health and the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

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